1538 20TH PL — Polk County parcel 7924.33.404.009
Map of parcel 7924.33.404.009. Center: latitude 41.6074, longitude -93.6452. Use arrow keys to pan and the plus/minus keys to zoom once focused.
Polk County · 2026 tax sale · GovEase lot 1340last year's list
1538 20TH PL
DES MOINES IA 50311
7924.33.404.009 · alt 080.06278.000.000
Redemption likelihoodHigh
Likely to redeem — favors the interest-yield play.
Modeled estimate · not a guarantee
Owed
$94
tax year 2026 · face value
Assessed
$7.5k
total · land + improvements
Value-to-debt
1 : 80strong
$1 of debt secures $80 of asset
Lot
0.09 ac
3,987 sf · 280 ft perimeter
Opportunity
Measured scores — use the one that matches your goal.
Redemption yieldrecommended
If the owner redeems, you keep 2%/mo interest (§447.1) — the investment play.
Base7
Vacant / land only+6
Low assessed value (<$25k)+9
Chronic (5+ delinquent years)+6
Total28
Acquire the deed
If the owner never redeems, you can acquire the property — the acquisition play.
Base1
Vacant / land only+1
Low assessed value (<$25k)+1
Total3
Risk flagsRepeat delinquentVacant / land onlyFederal liens not checkedSpecial assessments not checkedAbsentee owner
Flags reflect only what public county data exposes — an absent flag is not a guarantee. Items marked "not checked" need manual verification.
Tax-sale history
10 certificates · Treasurer
Chronicredeemed 9 of 9 resolved · median 64 days to redeem · 9 delinquent years (2000–2022)
Tax year 2022Redeemedcert 2024-0551
Sold Jun 17, 2024 for $71 · redeemed Aug 20, 2024 (64 days)
Paid $96 to redeem · $5 interest to the certificate holder · by SANCHEZ, SABAS E
Tax year 2020Redeemedcert 2022-1036
Sold Jun 28, 2022 for $135 · redeemed Oct 5, 2023 (464 days)
Paid $366 to redeem · $77 interest to the certificate holder · by SANCHEZ, ANGELA MARIE
Tax year 2019Redeemedcert 2021-0353
Sold Jun 22, 2021 for $289 · redeemed Sep 1, 2021 (71 days)
Paid $334 to redeem · $25 interest to the certificate holder · by SANCHEZ, SABAS E
Tax year 2019Redeemedcert 2019-977
Sold Jun 17, 2019 for $68 · redeemed Jul 22, 2019 (35 days)
Paid $146 to redeem · $4 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2018Redeemedcert 2018-931
Sold Jun 18, 2018 for $65 · redeemed Aug 3, 2018 (46 days)
Paid $141 to redeem · $5 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2016Redeemedcert 2016-957
Sold Jun 27, 2016 for $56 · redeemed Jul 11, 2016 (14 days)
Paid $73 to redeem · $3 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2008Redeemedcert 2008-1619-09
Sold Jun 16, 2008 for $634 · redeemed Jul 15, 2008 (29 days)
Paid $48 to redeem · $28 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2006Redeemedcert 2006-1695-07
Sold Jun 19, 2006 for $674 · redeemed Oct 8, 2007 (476 days)
Paid $520 to redeem · $500 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2003Redeemedcert 2003-1951-04
Sold Jun 16, 2003 for $392 · redeemed Sep 1, 2004 (443 days)
Paid $270 to redeem · $250 interest to the certificate holder
Tax year 2000Canceledcert 2000-1259-03
Sold Jun 19, 2000 for $165
Who owns it
2 sources agree on identity
Owner names as reported by independent public records — discrepancies may indicate recent transfers or data lag.
Auction list says…
Assessor says…
SANCHEZ, SABAS E
Treasurer says…
SANCHEZ, SABAS E
Mailing: SANCHEZ, SABAS ELIZABETH 1542 20TH PL DES MOINES IA 50311-3202
Owners of record · Assessor
SANCHEZ, SABAS ETitle Holder2015-01-2015444/217
Property details
Assessor
Location
- Address
- 1538 20TH PL
- City
- DES MOINES
- Zip
- 50311
- Jurisdiction
- Des Moines
- District/Parcel
- 080/06278-000-000
- Geoparcel
- 7924-33-404-009
- Status
- Active
- School
- Des Moines
- Nbhd/Pocket
- DM75/Z
- Tax Authority Group
- DEM-C-DEM-770131
- Submarket
- Northwest Des Moines
- Appraiser
- Joseph Peterson, 515-286-3011
Land
- Square Feet
- 4,000
- Acres
- 0.092
- Frontage
- 40
- Depth
- 100
- Topography
- Normal
- Shape
- Rectangle
- Vacancy
- Yes
- Unbuildable
- No
Lot dimensions
GIS · centroid 41.6074, -93.6452
Acres: 0.092
Lot sqft: 3,987
Perimeter: 280 ft
Title & transfer history
2 transfers · Assessor
Recorded deed chain joined to sale prices. Shows ownership only — not mortgages or liens, which the assessor does not publish.
Last market sale
$1,700 · Oct 23, 2006 · to SANCHEZ, JOSE
Jan 20, 2015Quit claim deednon-market transfer15444/217
SANCHEZ, SABAS ELIZABETH ← SANCHEZ SR, JOSE ANTONIO
Oct 23, 2006Deed$1,70011933/714
SANCHEZ, JOSE ← Z FIN 18
Permits & assessment activity
3 records · Assessor
Permits and assessor field checks recorded against this parcel. “Pickup” rows are assessor reviews rather than building permits.
Year
Work
Status
Applied
2008
Remove · HOUSE(Permit)
No Add
2007-08-15
2008
Addition · FENCE(Permit)
No Add
2007-08-02
2007
Review Value · REVIEW PROPERTY(Pickup)
Complete
2006-10-26
Zoning
1 record · Assessor
| Zoning | Description | SF | Assessor Zoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | N5 Neighborhood District | — | Residential |
Photos
1 · Assessor
Tax assessment history
17 rolls · Assessor
Assessed value set by the Polk Assessor each roll year (Iowa revalues in odd-numbered years). Totals combine land and improvements; change is versus the prior roll. Linked years open the official assessment-roll notice.
Year
Land
Improvements
Total
Property tax
Change
1999
$3,150
$20,120
$23,270
Residential
$883
Sept: $172
March: $711
+8.3%
1997
$2,910
$18,580
$21,490
Residential
~$399
+6.2%
1995
$2,740
$17,490
$20,230
Residential
~$375
+15.6%
1989
$2,370
$15,130
$17,500
Residential
~$325
—
Property tax is the actual net tax billed by the Polk Treasurer (before any late interest or fees). Values prefixed "~" are estimated (assessed × Iowa rollback × consolidated levy) for years not yet billed or predating the online record. Use the county's official tax estimator →
If you bid & win
Lien purchase$94
Interest rate2% / mo (≈24% / yr)
SaleJun 2026
Earliest redemption noticeMar 2028
Earliest deed eligibilityJun 2028
Certificate hard capJun 2029
If redeemed at 12 mo$117+$23 interest
If redeemed at its history avg~182 days → Dec 2026 · 6 mo$105+$11 interest
If taken to deed$7.5k assetat a 100% bid
Iowa bids down the percentage of undivided ownership (§446.16, floor 1%). A contested parcel may convey only a fractional interest, so the deed play is realistic mainly when little or no competition bids it down.
Accrues $2/moschedule
1 year12 mo · $117 total+$23
Redemption notice21 mo · $133 total+$39
Deed eligibility24 mo · $139 total+$45
Hard cap36 mo · $162 total+$68
marks the statutory milestones from the timeline above. Flat 2%/mo on the $94 lien — each partial month counts whole (§447.1). Excludes subsequent taxes and recoverable costs.
Estimates only. Not legal or financial advice.
Data sources
Every fact on this page comes from a public county system. Click to view at source.
Rules & Iowa law
The statutes that govern tax sales, redemption, and deeds.